Trade-Offs in Crop Production: Yield and Quality, Resource Use Efficiency, and Environmental Sustainability

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 331

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Agricultural College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
2. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, Agricultural College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
Interests: cultivation practices for crop high-yield and high-quality; crop physiology and ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Agricultural College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
2. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, Agricultural College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
Interests: cultivation practices for crop high-yield and high-quality; crop physiology and ecology

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Agricultural College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
2. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, Agricultural College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
Interests: cultivation practices for crop high-yield and high-quality; crop physiology and ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Achieving sustainable crop production requires balancing trade-offs among yield, quality, resource use efficiency, and environmental sustainability. High crop yields are essential for meeting global food demand, but they often come at the expense of reduced crop quality and the increased consumption of resources, such as water, fertilizers, and energy. Conversely, optimizing resource use efficiency and improving environmental outcomes may sometimes limit yield potential. For example, reducing nitrogen fertilizer application can mitigate environmental issues like water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions but may also compromise crop yield and quality. Innovative agricultural practices, including precision farming, advanced breeding techniques, and sustainable nutrient management, etc., offer promising solutions to balance these trade-offs. For a paper to be included in this Special Issue, the research must involve field experiments, preferably with inter-annual repetitions. For tank or pot experiments, yield-related factors must have at least two years of repetition.

Prof. Dr. Junfei Gu
Dr. Kuanyu Zhu
Dr. Weiyang Zhang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • yield and quality
  • resource use efficiency
  • environmental sustainability

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

25 pages, 32376 KiB  
Article
Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Photosynthetically Active Radiation in Crops: Effects of Canopy Structure on Yield
by Meng Duan, Congying Han, Xiaotao Zhang, Zheng Wei, Zhiguo Wang and Baozhong Zhang
Agronomy 2025, 15(4), 940; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15040940 - 11 Apr 2025
Viewed by 194
Abstract
Understanding the spatial–temporal distribution of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) within crop canopies is crucial for optimizing planting structures to enhance resource use efficiency and improve crop yields. While high planting densities are commonly employed to increase yields, this practice can lead [...] Read more.
Understanding the spatial–temporal distribution of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) within crop canopies is crucial for optimizing planting structures to enhance resource use efficiency and improve crop yields. While high planting densities are commonly employed to increase yields, this practice can lead to issues such as early leaf senescence and reduced biomass. This study investigates the impact of varying planting densities on PAR dynamics, canopy structure, and yield formation in maize over two years. Key findings include the following: (1) higher planting density significantly increased grain yield, biological yield, and LAI, although HI decreased; (2) canopy light distribution varied with planting density, with the middle layers intercepting the most light, particularly during the grain filling stage; (3) a density of 83,000 plants·ha−1 was the most efficient for maximizing yield and WUE, although high accumulated temperatures negatively impacted yields. These results suggest that adjusting planting density can enhance resource use efficiency in maize farming, particularly in regions with variable water availability and climate challenges. Future research should explore the long-term effects of planting density on soil health, water use efficiency, and crop resilience under varying environmental conditions. Additionally, studies integrating precision agriculture technologies to fine-tune planting density and water management in response to climate change are essential for ensuring sustainable maize production and food security in the future. Full article
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